Why the Plethora of Opinion?

One does not have to be The Doctor to figure out that Whovians are a cantankerous, unpredictable bunch, in all but one way; whether it be a panel discussion, podcast, blog, article, or discussion among friends, we will vehemently disagree. If I love an episode, as sure as the rain won’t fall in Southern California during fire season, lots of people will hate it. (I am one of the three people, apparently in the entire world, whose favorite episode is Rings of Akhaten. Definitely writing a post about that soon.)

Why so much disagreement among friends?

I believe that the huge success of Doctor Who is attributable to The Doctor’s core traits as a character. Of course, some of you reading this will disagree about my list, but I’ll have a go anyway. The Doctor is: curious, adventuresome, intelligent, alien, commanding, imperious, funny/witty/clever, sad, wise, lonely, ancient, mysterious, and compassionate. He doesn’t just have a “save the world” complex, he wants to save all known and unknown aspects of existence. Wrapped up in one time-traveling, double-hearted, brilliant being, he becomes irresistible. Plus, there be monsters here.

Depending upon our personal stories, our heartbreaks, successes and longings, specific aspects of The Doctor resonate more powerfully than others. For example, I respond most to The Doctor’s intelligence, leadership, curiosity, loneliness, humor and “save the universeness.” This is why I loved Rings of Akhaten and Time Heist so much.

However, if you most love The Doctor’s imperious, mysterious, alieness, then perhaps (sticking to the current season) you grooved on Listen (a definite unfavorite for monster fans.) If you are about his humor and The Doctor as hero, Robot of Sherwood may have been your episode. If you are monster fan, Into the Dalek or Deep Breath may be it.

Congruent with my theory that Moffat is slowly unveiling this Doctor’s character via exploration of a few personality characteristics per episode, it may explain why we are so polarized about Capaldi. I have heard long-term commentators swear that Calpaldi is The Doctor they have been waiting their whole lives for, and others who are so upset and hopeless about the direction the show is taking that they are considering throwing in the towel after decades of dedication.

Doctor Who in all of its zany, monster filled, cheesiness also serves as one of the few television programs that consistently explores some of the most important questions about being human. What does it mean to be different? How do we connect to other people? How do we deal with the unpredictability of life? How can we face each day with curiosity and adventure when we have been deeply hurt? How do we cope with fear when we are so afraid? What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be good?

I believe that we feel most connected to and enthusiastic about Doctor Who when our hero spends 45 minutes (or more) struggling with the questions we are asking at that particular moment in our lives. During each crisis The Doctor faces, when he brings to bear the personality characteristics that we most aspire to have, that is when we fall in love with The Doctor, for the first time or the twelfth.

So, be easy with each other about favorite moments. The Doctor is just being their Doctor that day. He’ll be coming around your corner of the universe soon enough.

Completely Superfluous Question(s) to Create The Appearance That This Blog Has Real Value: How would you describe The Doctor’s core characteristics, regardless of incarnation? Which of these are your favorites? How are they reflected in your favorite episodes? What questions have you been asking of your life these days? What does The Doctor have to say about your questions? Discuss.

3 thoughts on “Why the Plethora of Opinion?”

This really got me thinking. Eleven is my favorite, and I loved it when he showed emotion and vulnerability, especially in his interactions with his companions and the TARDIS in “The Doctor’s Wife”. I’ve been feeling a little alone in my opinion of the last two episodes and Clara, but I guess we Whovians can’t all like the same things. 🙂

Thanks for following my blog! I am so glad Why The Plethora of Opinions got you thinking. Doctor Who really makes me think, too. Isn’t it amazing how divided we can be about this show? Anyway, you are so not alone! I just commented on your Listen post.

I am a psychologist in private practice in San Diego, CA. I have been trying to make sense of the world through the psychological lens since I gave my mother a home-made Rorschach when I was 10.
I learned to cope with that world through imagining the possibilities presented in science fiction. Anne McCaffery, David Brin, Star Trek, Susan Cooper, Tolkein, Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, Batman and Robin, Battlestar Gallatica....
Then, I discovered Doctor Who and it all came together in one place. Humor, wit, insatiable curiosity, adventurousness, timey-wimeyness, all rolled-up with the most enduring existential struggles we pudding brains can come up with. I was in love.
So, it is inevitable that I have begun this blog. During the season I will be posting episode analyses on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I will also post arc analyses and extras whenever I'm feeling inspired. During the off-season I will be discussing the classic Who I am watching. I hope you enjoy!
“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect, but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.”
-Carl Jung (Swiss Psychologist, 1875 -1961)